Explain the “irony” in the poem assignment

When one looks upon what was written on the base of the statue and then to what has become of that statue and all that surrounds It one sees how Ironic that name really is. It is easiest to begin from the Inscription on the base of the statue as It gives us the best Insight Into the man it represents. ‘My name Is Commands, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despairs(lines 10-11)’ This quote infers his belief that no one will ever surpass his works. One might even conclude from this that he would even challenge God himself.

We then can go back and look at how Shelley described the statue. His description tells us what condition God leaves the model of this mocking fool: “Two vast and truckles legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, n the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command. (lines 2-5)” The condition of the statue in itself shows that Commands was not the greatest ruler there ever was. In looking at the condition of the statue and his words after you really do see the irony of the situation.

All which this great king accomplished and what he once was has eroded Into the sand leaving nothing but “two vast and truckles legs of stone. ” God allows only the legs and words to stand so that he might prove a point. The point Shells tried to raise in the poem was that God will outlast all those who attempt to aka a mockery of him. Shells writes, “Tell that Its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed. Lines 6-8)” On this point I would have to agree with Joe Kelly in his belief that Sandiness’s heart fed on the passions of his people. If he had nurtured his people Instead of oppressing them their passion would have been with malignantly his memory, Instead of destroying It. There is a great deal of irony in Commanding’ shattered visage on the sand. The king who so terrified those he commanded for so long no longer has any power, yet, his ace still tries to dominate all he sees.